501st Approved Costume materials

I'm just glancing over typical requirements for 501st approved costumes like say armoured stuff, they don't really specify materials used to make them like EVA foam or something do they? So if I want to, I could make a cardboard pepakura costume and it could get approved?

I'd be amazed if Eva passed clearance for the 501. Best people to ask though would be the 501st themselves. Join a detachment forum for the kit you'd like to do and ask there [emoji4]

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Oh and cardboard definitely won't pass. The 501 aim for screen accuracy so you're looking at abs plastic or hips for most armour

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Usually hidden in most of the CRLs is a requirement the the armor be made of rigid materials like plastic. Paper pep, cardboard and EVA foam will not pass since they are not rigid enough to hold their shape without cracking after repeated use. Plus, their goal is to have all troopers and like costumes look identical to each other. A vac formed Flametrooper and one made of EVA will not look the same standing next to each other.

Some of the flexible costumes (masks, etc.) are more lenient on materials in listing Latex, Silicone, rubber, etc. Most all armored costumes are ABS, Fiberglass, PVC. 501st is more structured in the requirements that some groups, but even the Mandalorian Mercs which allow a lot of flexibility in creating your armor have not allowed EVA.

If you want, check out youtube videos on building clonetrooper armor from plasticard and lining it with foam. Because the main structure is plastic, the exterior "could" look rather convincing.

Each 501st costume goes through an approval process as well in sending to the area's garrison membership liaison and they will tell you changes needed, etc.

As a 501st member myself and many...many costumes registered I can tell you the effort is worth it if you put time into it.

My costumes:
Approved:Imperial Staff Officer, Snowtrooper, Imperial Gunner, Reserve Pilot, ANH Tie, ROTJ Tie, 181st Tie, Baron Fel, Bridge Crew, Sandtrooper


In Progress: 181st Dress Uniform 100% done, Warrant Officer 100% done, TFA Tie Pilot 60%, Hondo Ohnaka 25%, Clone Trooper 10%, Bossk 10%

Psicorp7 said:

Usually hidden in most of the CRLs is a requirement the the armor be made of rigid materials like plastic. Paper pep, cardboard and EVA foam will not pass since they are not rigid enough to hold their shape without cracking after repeated use. Plus, their goal is to have all troopers and like costumes look identical to each other. A vac formed Flametrooper and one made of EVA will not look the same standing next to each other.

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Correct. Stormtroopers for example:

• The armor parts shall be made from one of these types of materials or like materials: White fiberglass, ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene), or Polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

How expensive is High impact polystyrene compared to eva foam? I hear it's the cheapest, is one of the other approvable materials as cheap?